More school counselors and social workers, stronger recognition of educators and additional resources inside and outside the classroom were among the needs current and future teachers raised during a recent roundtable at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein hosted the September 8 discussion at UNCG’s School of Education, where teachers and education students spoke candidly about what drew them to the profession, the challenges they face and what the state can do to help keep educators in North Carolina classrooms.
The discussion followed Stein’s signing of a state budget in July that raises average teacher pay by eight percent, the largest average increase in 20 years—and starting teacher pay by 17 percent, the largest starting-pay increase in nearly 50 years. The budget also expands the Advanced Teaching Roles program, which allows experienced teachers to mentor colleagues, and establishes TeachReadyNC, a teacher-apprenticeship pathway…